The Tale of Two Outcasts
by The Lupine Sojourner
Summary: She could talk to animals. He was a wolfdog, hardly a pup. These two form a friendship that's almost like a mother and son. Did we mention the Russian goose/father figure? No? He's there, too... Young!Balto/Jenna and my take on how Boris came to meet Balto, how Balto got to Nome, and what happened to Aniu. Guesswork at Rosy's father's name, as well...


The lone wolfdog pup sniffled. Why didn't anyone like him? What was so wrong with him? All he wanted was friends and playmates, but neither the dogs or the humans wanted him around, always pulling their children and pups away, telling them that they needed to stay away from Balto for various reasons, kicking at the poor pup. Balto was confused. He knew he didn't have any diseases and he certainly wouldn't dream of hurting the delightful children, canine or human.

So why did everyone think he'd do those things? It just wasn't fair. He was bullied and outcast, all because he was half wolf. What was wrong with wolves, Balto wanted to know. There were moments, late at night, that he wondered if it just _him_ , not his mixed heritage, that scared everyone away. There was that one day last year when he and his mother were stalking moose deep in the nearby mountains. It was cold and blustery, but the pair needed the meat. Then...the muddy patch, made extra slick by the winds, sent Balto's mother, Aniu, over a steep ravine whilst Balto followed a different trail. He never saw his mother again. He always thought, in his darker moments, that his mother had, perhaps, abandoned him in her shame. But when he got out of those pits of self-loathing, he'd remember her promise to always be there for him.

And she had been, until that one day...

Boris found the half-dead, starved pup a day or two later by his poor estimation, taking him to the closest shelter available in the thunderstorm that had apparently come out of nowhere; a decrepit old wreck of a ship. While a large part of him was shaking with fear that the small wolfdog would eat him, a part of the goose had melted at the sight of the pitiful little pup, all alone and looking ready to drop dead at any given moment. He clacked his beak together in thought of his next course of action. How should he care for a wolfdog that might eat him when he was back at full health? Boris pondered for several long moments. Then, he flew off, knowing just the right person to look after the frankly rather adorable pup; a fifteen year old oddity of an orphan named Naomi Sparks. She had a highly unusual ability to understand animals. And she loved and cared for them as if they were humans, something refreshing to the animals she hung around, which was pretty much every single animal in Nome. Sadly, as a result of her unnatural familiarity with animals, she was as much of an outcast as Balto was. What better caretaker than one who could empathize with their charge's problems, going through it with them? Boris found her in the sled dog lodge, half-asleep as she listened to tales of sledding runs made by either racing mushers or mailmen. However, she politely took her leave when she saw Boris appear in the window. It must be importanmt, because Boris never went near the lodge if he could at all avoid it. Neither said a word as Naomi followed the goose toward the boat she spent cooler and drier nights than this in. She gasped as she beheld the adorable little wolfdog she'd only briefly met once or twice when Aniu had come for a visit to her mate, Boreas. Where Aniu was currently was irrelevant as Naomi shed her thin cotton jacket, wrapping the pup in it and sprinting back to the lodge. Everyone inside was shocked, to say the least, when the human burst in carrying nonenother than Balto, but Naomi was adament in Balto's defense.

"Let. Balto. Stay." Was her only reply to the protests made by every single dog inside. "I will fight you to protect this innocent little wolfdog, but I'd really rather not. He's never done anything to harm anyone, human or dog, so that alone should be enough, alright?! Now, beat it if you need to! You all have homes with humans to take care of you, right? Go home if you're that opposed to the idea of me sparing an adorable and half-dead little pup!" She roared. Although a few went home, most simply retreated to the far corners, sending evil, dirty looks at Naomi, but she stolidly remained curled around Balto's small frame, enjoying the warmth of the furnace near her. Just as she was about to drop off, a tiny red husky puppy plopped into the small amount of space left in the human's embrace. It was the one pup who actually sought Balto out as a playmate as often as possible, Jenna. Jenna had just recently gotten adopted by a nice people with a five-year-old girl, Rosy. Jenna was quite happy and well-looked-after in her new home. Naomi visited often for any of the three meals she needed a day and a bed on especially cold nights or inclement weather. The family had soon unofficially adopted the girl, trying their best to humor Naomi's tales of talking to the sled dogs and other animals with as good a grace as they could. At least, the parents. Rosy was enthralled, however, by her surrogate older sister's stories, even though her parents told her not to believe a word of them. Balto, at this point semiconscious, perked up very slightly.

"Hi, Jenna." He greeted weakly. Naomi smiled, half worried that Balto was trying to do too much too quickly, half happy to see Balto looking a bit better.

"Hey, Balto. What happened?" But Balto was back to sleeping already. He's worse than I thought, Naomi goraned inwardly, resolving to stay right here with Balto until he was better, no matter what. At least, until hebwas better to be moved. Naomi shifted into a slightly more comfortable position. She might be here a while.

=#=#=#=#=

"I tell yah, I saw her in here last night, James." Naomi came awake slowly as two men, one her surrogate foster father, came walking inside. Yawning, she rewrapped both of her charges in her arms. Only to feel one of them being taken. She came fully awaken to find Jenna in Jame's arms.

"Naomi...we talked about this." Naomi frowned stubbornly at Mr. Garber.

"There's nothing wrong with hanging around Balto. He was half-dead when I found him last night! I won't regret or apologize or even feel any pthing close to that for saving an innocent life, Mr. Garber." He sighed.

"Please, Naomi. Its time to give up this charade." Naomi stood, still clutching Balto to her chest protectively.

"No!" With that, she ran out to the boat she somewhat lived in. "They just don't get it. God gave me this gift, and they treat it like...like its some kind of...curse! Ergh!" She roared as soon as she had settled on a small bench. Hot tears of rage and indignation trailed her cheeks. "Don't you worry, Balto. You'll be right as rain soon enough. I'll see to that." Naomi promised, voice shaky and significantly softer than it had previously been. "I won't leave you."

She never did.


End file.
